Corner Up in a Reading Nook: Nook Ideas Inspired by "Days at the Morisaki Bookshop"
Have you ever read a book and there’s that one room , space, or area you want to experience yourself? Well, immerse yourself in the international best-seller “Days at the Morisaki Bookshop” by Satoshi Yagisawa. Days at the Morisaki Bookshop follows 25-year-old Takako whose boyfriend told her that he was marrying someone else so to mend her broken heart she takes up on the offer to stay with her uncle. Her uncle Satoru owns the Morisaki bookshop, a three-generation bookshop that sells second-hand books.
As autumn comes they rekindle their relationship and discover they have much in common. The Morisaki bookshop has something to teach them both about life, love, and the healing power of books. This book brings comfort, nostalgia, cozy, and warm feelings when readers read, now lets bring this feeling into life by creating a reading nook that one can corner up to read books all day.
Chapter 1: Finding the Nook Space
Takako wasn’t given the choice of what room she had when she moved in with her uncle so she had to remove towers of books and deep clean the room. After all the cleaning and reorganizing it was a small room with limited natural light but that didn’t matter too much to Takako as she found this small and quiet space her private space.
As you find this space for your reading nook it doesn’t need to be a big space, or somewhere near a big window, or next to a garden. Instead, find a space that would be your private space where you can disconnect from the world for a little bit. This space can be your closet, a corner in your room, or just anywhere that when you sit you feel just you.
Chapter 2: Adding elements
With the small room she had she couldn’t put a big piece of furniture like a couch or a TV instead she filled it with the bare necessities. While she was cleaning up all the books for this room she was lucky enough to find a small table .
Along with this small room was the change she had from her apartment in Tokyo to her uncle’s traditional Japanese house with tatami mats. With this, she had to use a futon to sleep each night. Although it may not be necessary to buy a futon for your reading nook, you can replace them with bedding that gives a cozy vibe. For this nook, a blanket, throw, or small pillow would be the best bedding item to include as it’s like a mini bed but gives the similar vibes to a futon.
As for the books, Takako was obviously surrounded by books as she lived on top of one. That doesn’t mean to go out and buy books to have a big collection unless you already have one. Regardless of how many books you have, your collection will grow over time as you read more and more. So with the current books you have, organize them however you like from nine by nine shelves to hanging wall shelves. For Takako she simply stacks them from the floor and anytime she had a hard time sleeping she would reach over and read until she fell asleep.
CAPTURE THE ESSENCE WITH…
Although these were the three main things Takako mentioned there must've been some things that one can assume she had in her room. Her room had limited natural lighting with the expectation of the room light. Considering that this room of her’s is much older she may have had a simple lamp in the room for when it got dark. So in your nook add a lamp for when night comes so that you may continue reading through your book.
In Japan house slippers are a norm in every household as it shows cleanness. So it must also imply that Takako had a pair of slippers in her room. Although a reading nook is a small space that most likely doesn’t need house supplies, these slippers could be used when you get up from your nook. It’s like you're bringing your nook with you by having these slippers on and experiencing Takako.
ADDITIONAL THINGS TO ADD WITH…
As you get your elements for your nook here's a checklist of basic starters.
- small table
- bedding (blankets, throws, or pillows)
- book organizer
- simple lamp
- slippers
Acknowledgements
With this reading nook don’t take every step word for word instead use it as a guideline to create a space for yourself to enjoy reading and learn about yourself. Days at the Morisaki Bookshop helped Takako back onto her feet after her heartbreak, through these books and the environment she lived she learned about love and life, especially herself. Hopefully, when creating this reading nook you too can experience the positive change that Takako has and enjoy the passion of books.
A little quote from the book itself to help inspire when making your reading nook.
“It’s only in secondhand books that you can savor encounters like this, connections that transcend time. And that’s how I learned to love the secondhand bookstore that handled these books, our Morisaki Bookshop . I realized how precious a chance I’d been given, to be part of that little place, where you can feel the quiet flow of time.”
As you build this nook enjoy every step and process, make this nook your sanctuary, the place where books can come to life. Add as many elements to this nook because this is the place where you are the main character in your book world.
So remember these things when creating your reading nook.
- Find that cozy spot in your room or house
- Create a list of all the things you would need.
- And most of all have fun!
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